Improved brace and lacing device



SAMUEL J. SHAWY AND W. E. C. WORCESTER, OF MARLBOROUGH, MASSA- CHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO THEMSELVES ANI) THOMAS (JOREY, OF SAME PLAGE; `SAID WORCESTER ASSIGNS TO SAID SHAW HIS RIGHT.

IMPROVED BRAE AND LAClNG DEVICE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 58,955, dated October 16, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, SAMUEL J. SHAW and W. E. C. WORCESTER, of Marlborough, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoes; and do hereby declare the same to be fully described in the following specification, and represented in the accompanying drawings, ot' which- Figure l denotes a top view, and Fig. 2 a side elevation, of a shoe provided with our invention. Fig. 3 is a top view, and Fig. 4is an edge view, ot' the metallic stay-piece employed in carrying out our invention.

1n removing balmorals or bootees from the last it frequently happens that the leather of the vamp becomes torn down or slit at the vertex ot' the lacing-openin g. The so tearing the leather also frequently happens when the shoe is in use. When such is the case the appearance is well as the value of the shoe is impaired.

The purpose ot' our invention is to prevent such accidents to shoes and add to their ornamentation. For these purposes we arrange across the lacing-slit or, and at or near the verteX thereof, a metallic stay, A, to extend across such slit and cover the vertex, and be fastened to the shoe by eyelets c c, or equivalents, so as to receive the lacin g d.

We provide the stay with alip or clinching tang, e, extending down from it below the vertex of the slit, and going through the leather of the upper, and heilig clinched or bent down against the under surface thereof. The purpose of such clinching-tang is not only to prevent grass or other matters from becoming caught between the stay and the leather, but to strengthen the connection ofthe stay with the slice.

The lowerinost eyelets cc go through the stay and the leather or upper, and, besides performing their usual functions, they serve to aid in securing' the stay to the shoe. The stay is so made that the lacing dgoes through it twice, and thus aids in keeping it in place. The stay, as shown in the drawings, is formed with a tongue, b, projecting from it, the clinchin gtan g being iliade to extend from the lower edge ot' this tongue. The tongue, besides heing an ornament to the stay, is a cover to the vertex oi' the slit, und is useful in other respects.

Te do not claim the combination ot' a lne-A tallic stay with the instepopening `and upper of a shoe; but

We claim as an improvement the following-that is to say:

The' combination of the metallic stay as made with the lacing-holes, and the arrangement ot' the lacing so as to go through such holes or eyelets, serving to fasten the stay to the upper, the whole being substantially as described, whereby such lacing is made to protect the stay from bein g torn or separated from the shoe while in use.

SAMUEL J. SHAW. W. E. O. VVOROESTER.

Witnesses R. H. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

